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Dogs shot by Met police

(193 Posts)
Iam64 Mon 08-May-23 08:06:35

Apologies for inability to post a link. Yesterday a woman was attacked by two dogs. Police responded. The DM has a video on line showing a man holding back two large, aggressive bull type dogs as police try to talk to him. The police killed both dogs by shooting them.
The woman filming this is heard to criticise this. The police spokesperson states the dogs posed a threat to police. Having watched the video, I don’t know what else they could have done in the circumstances.
Sorry for yet another post about our of control dogs with irresponsible, ill-informed owners.

Fleurpepper Wed 10-May-23 11:08:15

BlueBelle

Of course they shouldn’t have just been released Hetty that would have been ridiculous and that’s not what I was saying at all but the situation went out of control, by the police as much as the dogs the police were acting aggressively towards the dogs moving forward into their space, shouting, pointing
(their guns)
A calmer approach may have made for a better scenario.
Then a dog team (handler ) ( RSPCA) could have been called to take the dogs and they could have taken the man

Like a human with a mental health condition the calmer the approach the better, once voices are raise or threats made, you have lost the situation

Thank you, this entirely. And the British Police have an amazing reputation for normally doing just that- and being trained to diffuse such situations, rather than inflamme- unlike many Police forces in other countries.

Jaye53 Wed 10-May-23 13:11:55

Tragic for the innocent Dogs.But it's the low life humans who own them.

MayBee70 Wed 10-May-23 13:48:32

Someone on our local Facebook page warned people that someone was exercising a American XL Bully on the playing field next to the children’s playground and the owner just said her dog was a softie that wouldn’t hurt a fly. It was the person who gave the warning that was castigated for telling people ( as is often the case).

M0nica Wed 10-May-23 15:28:40

The dogs were not 'innocent' thay had attacked someone. The dogs are bred to be aggressive.

Callistemon21 Wed 10-May-23 15:38:13

Iam64

It was a dreadful situation. Police were called on the basis a woman had been attacked. The handler refused to hand over the dogs. The situation was escalating. This wasn’t the kind of situation where a calm trained negotiator would be called. So far as the police were aware, it was blue light risk and they responded as such
If a child or anyone had been attacked, the police would be criticised. Two big dogs, untrained, on the end of leads held by a man with mental health problems - it’s easy to be wise after the event.

Excellent summing up, Iam64.

rosie1959 Wed 10-May-23 16:55:40

M0nica

The dogs were not 'innocent' thay had attacked someone. The dogs are bred to be aggressive.

According to reports they hadn’t attacked anyone but had a bit of a set to with a smaller dog

BlueBelle Wed 10-May-23 17:52:20

They hadn’t attacked the lady Monica unless the reports were all wrong

Hetty58 Wed 10-May-23 17:54:31

BlueBelle, when I said 'released', I meant the owner could merely let go of them - and they could be off and away in a few seconds. Any dog (at all) is potentially dangerous if not kept under control.

BlueBelle Wed 10-May-23 19:20:46

Of course why would you think I don’t know that Hetty I m neither complaining nor praising the police however I believe it wasn’t handled as well as it could have been

M0nica Wed 10-May-23 19:23:19

The reports I read said that they had attacked a woman.

If dogs are bred or reared to be aggressive no matter how much retraining they have they will never be safe in any domestic or public space. Killing them, this is what 'putting them down ' means, is the best solution. Pity it isn't a solution we can impose on their owners as well.

Iam64 Wed 10-May-23 20:18:39

It’s accepted in dog training circles that the tension/or calm, from the handler goes ‘down the lead’. The man handling these dogs was reported to have m.h, problems. His response to the police was oppositional and provocative. The dogs were picking up on that. Given the increasing number of serious dog attacks , and in light of the circumstances in this situation, I can’t criticise the police.

This is off post but relevant I believe, My big soft lab reacted to my husband’s death by beginning to guard me. Totally unexpected, this usually over friendly boy reacted to any unknown man approaching me outside, or coming to the house by snarling, growling and threatening posture. He was distressed by the disappearance of his companion and picking up on my vulnerability. If I hadn’t taken immediate action to manage this, with advice from skilled trainers, a dreadful incident could have happened. He’s relaxed and happy again now

M0nica Thu 11-May-23 08:43:25

Having been attacked by dogs, that the person with them, a woman of average height and build, had difficulty controlling because of their strength, I am very short on sympathy for the reasons that a dog attacks people. if a dog attacks something, either person or other animal, as far as I am concerned they should be put down.

The ordinary person needs to know that they can go for a walk in a public place without being attacked by someone elses dog, regardless of reason. the same applies to anyone living or visiting a house that contains such a dog.

Iam64 Thu 11-May-23 08:48:23

MOnica the same applies to anyone living or visiting a house that contains such a dog
Police and social workers involved in safeguarding face the dilemma of personal safety when visiting families, every day. I’m several years retired but remember insisting dogs were secured in a room before going into some houses. It’s a growing problem with so many drug using/dealing parents.

Caleo Thu 11-May-23 09:20:10

Regarding the person who alleged she was attacked by one of the two dogs, my dog was accused of biting when it was being friendly and the man said "I felt its teeth". Some people are hysterical about dogs that approach them and confuse physical contact with attack.

I accept the owner of the barking dogs was being a public nuisance scaring people, and I accept he may have had aggressive breed dogs, however he may have loved these dogs and they may have been his only friends. I am sorry for him and I hope he recovers from the horrific attack on him and his dogs by the police.

Dee1012 Thu 11-May-23 15:44:48

Someone just shared this clip which gives a slightly different view of the dreadful events! Again not the whole story but the only aggression I can see is coming from the female and her dog doesn't look injured in any way, neither do the dogs killed appear aggressive at this point.
m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid0GCoWMVT774TNZnARJ27unyQ5n7QnUvajc8xUsjS7CJop2H6ioTaLhg3mvZy5ziZ6l&id=578015910

rosie1959 Thu 11-May-23 16:30:26

Dee1012

Someone just shared this clip which gives a slightly different view of the dreadful events! Again not the whole story but the only aggression I can see is coming from the female and her dog doesn't look injured in any way, neither do the dogs killed appear aggressive at this point.
m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid0GCoWMVT774TNZnARJ27unyQ5n7QnUvajc8xUsjS7CJop2H6ioTaLhg3mvZy5ziZ6l&id=578015910

How weird where is all the screaming coming from. The dogs certainly don’t show any aggression.
I have also seen pictures of the man and his two dogs sitting on the tube the dogs look very calm.
Sorry but the more I see and read the police over reacted

M0nica Thu 11-May-23 20:38:37

Iam64 I can remember visiting a client when I worked for a charity. The large dogs had been locked in the (tiny) yard of this modern house and all the time I was there they were rampaging around the yard and leaping at the french windows.

I couldn't get the benefit form filled in fast enough to get away and didn't do my usual follow up to trace the progress of the claim because there was no way I would risk having to make a second visit.

Fleurpepper Thu 11-May-23 20:48:56

Dee1012

Someone just shared this clip which gives a slightly different view of the dreadful events! Again not the whole story but the only aggression I can see is coming from the female and her dog doesn't look injured in any way, neither do the dogs killed appear aggressive at this point.
m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid0GCoWMVT774TNZnARJ27unyQ5n7QnUvajc8xUsjS7CJop2H6ioTaLhg3mvZy5ziZ6l&id=578015910

Goodness, yes, that shows a totally different view of the event- the young guy and the dogs are calm despite a massive hysteria and screams- that would have upset most dogs. She seems mentally deranged.

How terribly sad.

Iam64 Thu 11-May-23 21:03:17

The clip on the tube shows one incident. He appears to be drinking. His speech seemed slurred during the interaction with police The man was banned from keeping dogs because of a previous incident when three of his dogs attacked and killed a dog
MOnica’s experience will be one experienced by social workers, health, school staff etc visiting a fair number of homes these days
I don’t know enough to condemn the police fir ‘over reacting’ They’d have been aware why this man was banned from owning dogs
Damned if they do damned if they dont

Fleurpepper Thu 11-May-23 21:06:27

Did you watch the video above though. The woman is hysterical, and even so, the guy and dogs are totally calm.

Her behaviour seems to be the cause of all the kerfuffle- I wonder how she feels now. It is because of her the police was called and the situation escalated.

BlueBelle Thu 11-May-23 21:13:25

Polly / Dickens/Monica it seems no woman was attacked there was a screaming woman holding her small dog up but she wasnt attacked as far as can be seen

Grantanow Sat 13-May-23 15:23:44

Shooting a dog is unlikely to be a clean kill in most cases. Just as shooting foxes is unlikely to produce clean kills. Farmers are less familiar with firearms than in former times and a fox is a small target.

Iam64 Sun 14-May-23 13:21:37

Grantanow

Shooting a dog is unlikely to be a clean kill in most cases. Just as shooting foxes is unlikely to produce clean kills. Farmers are less familiar with firearms than in former times and a fox is a small target.

Exactly.

grannygranby Sun 14-May-23 14:08:20

absolutely awaful. I have added my name to the petition www.change.org/p/hold-the-met-police-criminally-accountable-for-the-barbaric-killing-of-two-leashed-dogs?utm_content=cl_sharecopy_36214178_en-GB%3A10&recruiter=42236252&recruited_by_id=007129e0-6230-0130-17b0-00221964dac8&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink&utm_campaign=psf_combo_share_message&utm_term=psf_combo_share_initial&share_bandit_exp=message-36214178-en-GB&fbclid=IwAR1qDCG1OvZieoEaI45v5gbxGo7TDA_fX2KpI71WaMw6WDJjyuBV6h0-FcU

Franbern Sun 14-May-23 19:56:18

Totally agree with Iam64,. Even if these animals had been taken in alive, they would probably have been put down within s shot time. Much more control needs to be brought in with regards to keeping animals as pets.

Must say I really have little feeling about the putting down of aggressive dogs, if it can save one child from horrible mauling.